Abstract: The Noctua NH-U12S heatsink is built around five 6mm diameter copper heatpipes and a 108mm tall aluminum fin stack. Where the heatsink interfaces with the processor, we find a beautifully machined nickel plated copper heat spreader.

FrostyTech Mk.II
Synthetic Thermal Heatsink Test Results
AMD FX, Phenom II, Athlon
II/64/FX/X2, Sempron class heatsinks tested at a 125W heat
load.Results based on readings
from a 38x38mm copper interface die with 125W heat load on the AMD
version of the Mk.II Test Platform. Temperature results listed for
each heatsink were calculated by determining the rise over ambient
temperatures at time of test. Information on Frostytech's test
methodology is available
here.

Socket AM2/AM3/FM1/FM2
& 939/940/754 compatible CPU
heatsinks

Manufacturer:

Model No.:

*Fan Speed:

125W Thermal Test
(°C)

Noise Level (dBA)

ECT

Prometeia Mach2 GT

-49.8

49.1

Coolermaster

Seidon 240M

high

7.7

55.6

Silverstone

Tundra TD02

high

8.1

53.0

Coolermaster

Glacer 240L

high

8.5

52.5

NZXT

Kraken X60

high

8.8

60.7

Spire

Thermax Eclipse II (2-fan)

high

10.2

56.9

Silverstone

Tundra TD03

high

10.4

58.1

Evercool

HPJ-12025 Transformer 4 (2010)

high

10.5

55.4

Corsair

Hydro H80i

high

10.6

64.0

Corsair

Hydro H100i

high

10.8

59.4

Coolermaster

Eisberg 240L

high

11.0

50.5

Xigmatek

SD128264 Aegir

high

11.0

49.1

Thermaltake

Frio

high

11.1

62.6

Noctua

NH-D14

high

11.2

48.1

3Rsystem

iceage 120 Boss II

high

11.2

49.9

Coolermaster

Seidon 120V

high

11.3

54.3

Noctua

NH-U14S

11.3

47.3

Phanteks

PH-TC14PE

high

11.3

49.2

Corsair

Hydro H100

high

11.6

59.2

Zalman

LQ320

high

11.7

50.2

AMD

FX Series Liquid Cooler

high

11.7

62.5

Silverstone

Heligon HE01

high

11.8

60.1

Coolermaster

TPC-812

high

11.9

52.4

Zalman

CNPS10X Extreme

high

12.0

58.2

NZXT

Kraken X40

high

12.2

59.4

Thermaltake

Frio Extreme

high

12.2

58.2

Thermalright

Silver Arrow

high

12.2

43.4

Zalman

LQ310

high

12.3

52.7

Tuniq

Tower 120 Extreme

high

12.3

43.5

Thermalright

Ultra-120

12.4

53.7

Zalman

CNPS9900 Max

high

12.5

54.5

Thermaltake

Water 2.0 Pro

high

12.6

53.3

Corsair

Hydro H80

high

12.6

58.8

Zaward

Vapor 120

high

12.6

51.6

Prolimatech

Megahalems (80CFM)

high

12.7

53.0

Zalman

CNPS10X Flex (80CFM)

12.7

51.2

Coolermaster

Hyper 212 Evo

high

12.8

47.1

Noctua

NH-C14

high

12.9

46.6

Zalman

CNPS10X Quiet

high

12.9

46.8

Spire

Thermax II (SP67951)

high

12.9

57.8

Zalman

CNPS11X Extreme

high

13.1

50.5

Glacialtech

Igloo H58

high

13.2

46.4

Titan

TTC-NC15TZ

high

13.2

50.0

Sunbeamtech

Core-Contact Freezer

high

13.2

51.3

Raijintek

Themis

high

13.3

52.8

Silverstone

Argon AR01

high

13.4

53.0

Zalman

CNPS12X

high

13.4

46.0

Coolermaster

V8

high

13.4

52.6

Noctua

NH-U12S (+2nd fan)

13.5

49.8

Scythe

Mugen 4

high

13.6

41.9

DeepCool

IceBlade Pro V2.0

high

13.6

45.7

Coolermaster

Hyper 612

high

13.6

50.7

Xigmatek

Dark Knight SD1283 Night Hawk Ed.

high

13.7

53.0

SilenX

EFZ-120HA4

high

13.7

48.7

DeepCool

Ice Blade Pro

high

13.7

46.1

Sunbeamtech

Twister 120

high

13.8

51.2

Akasa

Venom

high

13.8

54.1

Xigmatek

DK-S1283

high

13.8

49.6

Zalman

CNPS10X Optima

high

13.9

49.9

Titan

TTC-NK85TZ

high

14.0

58.6

Thermolab

BARAM

14.0

53.0

Thermolab

BARAM 2010 (80CFM)

high

14.0

51.3

Raijintek

Ereboss

high

14.1

49.7

SilenX

iXtrema IXC-120HA2

high

14.1

52.9

Zalman

Reserator 3 Max

high

14.2

58.9

DeepCool

IceWind Pro

high

14.2

45.7

Scythe

SCRT-1000 Rasetsu

high

14.2

59.5

Coolink

Corator DS

high

14.2

54.9

Xigmatek

HDT-S1283

high

14.2

50.7

Noctua

NH-U12S

14.3

46.2

Zalman

LQ315

high

14.4

50.8

Thermaltake

Contac 29

high

14.4

48.2

Prolimatech

Megahalems (50CFM)

high

14.4

45.1

Coolermaster

Hyper 212 Plus

high

14.4

50.1

Xigmatek

HDT-S1284EE

high

14.4

44.2

Glacialtech

Igloo H46

high

14.5

44.8

DeepCool

Frostwin

high

14.6

50.2

Titan

Siberia TTC-NC55TZ

high

14.6

52.5

DeepCool

GamerStorm

high

14.6

44.5

Danamics

LMX Extreme

high

14.6

55.4

Zalman

CNPS10X Flex (50CFM)

14.6

45.4

Coolermaster

V8 GTS

high

14.7

59.7

Evercool

Venti HPQ-12025

high

14.7

56.0

Thermolab

Trinity

high

14.7

50.6

Evercool

HPJ-12025 Transformer 4

14.7

38.9

Kingwin

XT-1264

high

14.7

45.5

CoolIT

Domino ALC

high

14.7

60.2

Thermaltake

Water 2.0 Performer

high

14.8

52.9

Zerotherm

ZT-10D Premium

high

14.9

45.3

DeepCool

Killer Whale Premium

high

14.9

52.5

Zalman

CNPS14X

high

15.0

48.7

Xigmatek

SD963 Loki

high

15.0

53.2

Thermolab

BADA

high

15.0

54.0

Akasa

Nero AK967

high

15.0

39.3

NZXT

Respire T40

high

15.1

46.5

Scythe

KAMA Angle

high

15.1

43.3

Coolermaster

Hyper Z600

15.1

47.7

Raijintek

Aidos

high

15.2

55.6

DeepCool

Gammaxx 400

high

15.2

48.0

Xigmatek

SD1283 Gaia

high

15.2

44.1

Coolink

Silentator

high

15.2

41.2

DeepCool

Killer Whale

high

15.3

53.5

Vantec

VAF-1225 Aeroflow FX 120

high

15.3

54.2

Scythe

Mugen

15.3

46.0

Thermaltake

BigTyp 14Pro

high

15.4

59.7

Silverstone

NT06-P

high

15.5

51.6

DeepCool

Neptwin

high

15.5

47.7

Zalman

CNPS9900DF

high

15.5

48.1

SilenX

EFZ-120HA5

high

15.5

45.8

Coolage

X120TF

15.5

53.0

Zerotherm

FZ120

high

15.5

47.6

Thermalright

Ultra 120 Extreme

15.5

44.5

Akasa

Venom Nano

high

15.7

57.5

OCZ

Vendetta 2

high

15.7

41.9

NZXT

Havik 140

15.8

52.6

Thermaltake

Jing

high

15.8

50.3

AVC

Black Samurai

high

15.9

56.7

Xigmatek

HDT-S983

high

15.9

52.7

Arctic Cooling

Freezer A30

high

16.0

44.0

Xigmatek

S1284 Achilles

high

16.0

42.7

Spire

Gemini SP986B1-V2-2P

high

16.1

44.5

Gelid

Tranquillo

high

16.1

41.3

3Rsystem

Iceage 120

high

16.1

47.9

Glacialtech

Siberia

high

16.2

47.6

EKL

GroB Clock'ner Blue Ed.

high

16.2

42.4

Noctua

NH-L12

high

16.3

44.7

Evercool

Transformer 3

high

16.3

48.5

Xigmatek

HDT-SD964

high

16.3

57.2

Glacialtech

Alaska

high

16.5

48.3

Corsair

Hydro H50

high

16.5

45.6

EKL

GroB Clock'ner

16.5

40.6

Zalman

CNPS9700 LED

high

16.5

56.5

nPowerTek

Hurricane NPH-105 (NB Fan)

high

16.6

47.7

Zalman

CNPS9700NT

high

16.6

52.2

Gelid

The Black Edition

high

16.7

50.3

Xigmatek

Thors Hammer S126384

16.7

46.4

Cooler Master

Hyper Z600 Black Label

high

16.7

49.2

Scythe

Infinity SCINF-1000

16.7

37.8

Thermaltake

SpinQ VT

high

16.8

50.1

DeepCool

Ice Warrior

high

16.9

45.5

Tuniq

Tower 120

high

16.9

51.6

Ibuypower

IBP-Z001

high

16.9

61.7

DeepCool

Ice Matrix 400

high

17.0

45.0

Nexus

HOC-9000

high

17.0

43.0

AVC

Z7U7414001 (stock AM2)

high

17.0

63.0

Corsair

Hydro H60

high

17.1

45.6

Glacialtech

F101 PWM

high

17.1

47.5

OCZ

Gladiator Max

high

17.1

42.9

Zalman

CNPS8900 Extreme

high

17.2

48.2

Coolermaster

Hyper 212

17.2

45.9

Noctua

NH-U12P

high

17.3

40.7

Gelid

GX-7

high

17.4

50.6

Arctic Cooling

Freezer 13 Pro

high

17.4

45.1

Coolermaster

Gemin II S524

high

17.5

49.6

Zalman

CNPS9900 LED

high

17.5

57.5

Noctua

NH-U12

17.5

45.4

Gigabyte

GH-PCU23-VE

high

17.5

65.6

Zalman

CNPS11X Performa

high

17.6

48.2

EKL

Alpenfohn Groß Clock'ner 2010

17.6

40.2

Scythe

Grand Kama Cross

high

17.6

45.9

Thermaltake

V1

high

17.6

59.6

Thermaltake

MaxOrb

high

17.7

57.4

XtremeGear

HP-1216B

high

17.8

54.0

Dynatron

Genius

high

17.9

47.2

Vantec

VAF-9225 Aeroflow FX92

high

17.9

57.9

Thermolab

BADA2010

high

18.2

44.3

Thermalright

Ultra-90

high

18.2

56.2

NZXT

Havik 120

high

18.3

54.6

Coolermaster

GeminII S

high

18.3

49.6

OCZ

Vendetta

high

18.4

52.8

Thermaltake

MaxOrb EX

high

18.6

56.5

Gigabyte

G-Power Pro

high

18.6

71.9

Enzotech

Ultra-X

high

18.7

59.1

Noctua

NH-U9

18.8

58.4

Zerotherm

Nirvana NV 120 PWM

high

18.9

44.9

Zalman

CNPS5X-SZ

high

19.1

54.9

Noctua

NH-C12P

high

19.2

40.4

Thermaltake

ISGC-300

high

19.3

44.0

SilenX

EFZ-120HA3

high

19.5

41.7

Zalman

CNPS8700 LED

high

19.5

48.1

Evercool

Buffalo HPEA-10025

19.5

50.2

Thermaltake

Frio Advanced

high

19.6

58.8

Glacialtech

Igloo 5751PWM

high

19.6

50.6

Coolermaster

Vortex Plus

high

19.6

54.6

Titan

Cool Idol TTC-NK75TZ

high

19.6

56.3

Apack

Zerotherm BTF92 OC Ed

high

19.7

53.6

Cooljag

Falcon 92-AL

high

19.8

52.1

Scythe

Mugen 4

high

19.9

30.3

Deepcool

Gammaxx S40

high

19.9

47.2

DeepCool

IceWing 5 Pro

high

19.9

53.2

Thermaltake

ISGC-400

high

20.0

45.4

Akasa

AK-876

high

20.0

48.2

Xigmatek

HDT-S963

high

20.1

50.2

Akasa

AK-920

high

20.2

52.9

Evercool

Transformer 6

high

20.3

51.6

Thermaltake

SpinQ

high

20.4

50.9

Scythe

Mine Rev.B

20.4

36.8

Cooljag

Falcon 92-Cu

high

20.4

52.8

Apack

Zerotherm Nirvana 120

high

20.5

49.2

Apack

Zerotherm BTF90

20.5

52.1

Coolermaster

Hyper6

high

20.5

54.7

DeepCool

Iceedge 400XT

high

20.6

45.7

Scythe

Zipang 2

20.8

37.7

Gelid

Silent Spirit

high

20.8

48.5

Arctic Cooling

Freezer 13

high

20.9

48.5

Asus

Arctic Square

high

20.9

38.3

NZXT

Respire T20

high

21.0

46.3

DeepCool

Ice Matrix 600

high

21.0

49.3

Auras

Shagon AHC-118

high

21.2

46.1

Coolermaster

Hyper N520

21.2

49.0

Xigmatek

Prime SD1484

high

21.3

49.7

Apack

Zerotherm BTF80

21.3

51.9

Scythe

Andy Samuri Master SCASM-1000

21.5

38.4

Sunbeamtech

Core-Contact Freezer 92mm Ed.

high

21.5

50.2

Asus

Silent Knight 2

high

21.7

46.2

Asus

Silent Square EVO

high

21.7

42.8

Thermaltake

Venus 12

high

21.7

68.1

Zaward

Gyre ZCJ010

high

21.8

52.7

Glacialtech

Igloo 5750 PWM

high

21.9

52.3

Coolermaster

Hyper TX3

high

22.0

56.0

Thermalright

SI-128SE

22.0

44.5

Cooljag

SFO-Q

high

22.2

60.6

Glacialtech

Igloo 5760 PWM

high

22.4

50.3

Zalman

CNPS9300AT

high

22.5

55.5

ASUS

Triton 77

high

22.7

41.2

Noctua

NH-U9B

high

22.8

41.9

ASUS

Starice

high

22.8

67.4

Zalman

CNPS9500 AM2

high

23.0

53.2

Asus

Lionsquare

high

23.1

44.7

Arctic Cooling

Freezer 64 Pro

23.2

50.9

Coolermaster

Aquagate Mini R80

high

23.2

59.2

Scythe

Zipang

23.3

33.1

Thermaltake

Polo 735

high

23.4

68.0

Asus

Triton 79 Amazing

23.5

44.3

Cooljag

SFO-H

high

23.6

60.6

SilenX

EFZ-92HA3

high

23.7

41.6

Alpha

PAL-8150

23.7

58.9

Zalman

CNPS9500 LED

high

23.8

50.3

Thermaltake

ISGC-200

high

23.9

48.7

Auras

Shagon ARC118

high

24.2

53.8

3Rsystem

Iceage 90

24.2

47.2

Verax

Helado

24.3

36.3

Glacialtech

Igloo 5710 Silent

24.4

43.4

Silverstone

NT01-Pro

high

24.6

40.4

Auras

SLC-747

high

24.6

52.2

AVC

Z7U3301001 (stock 939)

high

24.6

59.9

Zalman

CNPS8000

high

24.8

57.4

Gigabyte

3D Cooler-Ultra

high

24.8

63.0

Zalman

CNPS7500-Cu LED

high

25.0

50.9

Thermaltake

FrioOCK

high

25.1

47.9

Scythe

Kama Cross

25.1

40.0

Glacialtech

Igloo 5620

high

25.2

51.0

Coolage

Frozen Orb 2924HDC

high

25.3

56.0

Thermaltake

DuOrb

25.6

49.5

nPowertek

TTIC NPH1000

25.8

47.5

Glacialtech

Igloo 5750 Silent

26.0

35.5

OCZ

Tempest

26.0

51.6

Scythe

Shogun

high

26.0

45.9

Scythe

Big Shuriken

high

26.2

39.6

Scythe

Orochi SCORC-1000

26.2

27.8

Coolermaster

Hyper TX2

26.3

53.7

Rosewill

RCX-Z2-EX

high

26.3

45.9

EKL

V8

high

26.3

57.5

Evercool

HPL-815

high

26.4

52.5

Coolermaster

Gemin II M4

high

26.5

43.5

Rosewill

RCX-Z3

high

26.5

58.6

Auras

CTC-868 (closed)

26.6

48.7

Thermalfly

F1-IACSHA

high

26.6

60.4

Zalman

FS-C77

26.7

56.5

Gigabyte

3D Rocket-Pro

high

26.9

56.7

Zalman

CNPS7700-Cu

high

27.0

50.7

Gigabyte

3D Cooler-Pro

high

27.0

62.5

SilenX

EFZ-80HA2

high

27.5

40.6

nPowerTek

NPH-Big K8

27.8

54.0

Auras

LPT-709

27.9

43.9

Akasa

AK-922 (EVObue)

high

27.9

60.3

Zalman

CNPS7700-Cu LED

high

28.1

49.8

Akasa

AK-873

high

28.2

59.2

Scythe

Katana II

28.3

37.9

Spire

SP601B3

28.3

48.9

Cooljag

JYC 8A03A

high

28.5

50.6

Scythe

Ninja Mini

28.5

41.7

Glacialtech

UFO V51 Silent

28.7

42.4

Ajigo

MF064-074

high

28.8

60.3

Gigabyte

3D-Rocket

28.9

50.7

Vantec

Mach1

high

29.2

56.9

Gigabyte

Volar GH-PSV21-FB

high

29.4

56.1

Thermalright

SLK-948U

29.4

58.8

CoolJag

SFO-D(18SC)

29.6

64.0

Akasa

Revo (horizontal)

high

30.1

44.5

Antazone

AS-C1000

30.2

57.6

Arctic Cooling

Alpine 64

30.5

43.9

Zalman

CNPS7000A-Cu

high

30.3

45.2

Dynatron

SK-V24

30.3

56.4

Arctic Cooling

Alpine 64 Pro

high

30.6

46.4

Verax

Quattro 1

high

30.7

55.4

Xigmatek

AIO-S80DP

high

30.7

55.0

Scythe

Kozuti SCKZT-1000

high

30.8

44.2

Zalman

CNPS7000-Cu

high

31.0

45.2

Coolermaster

Hyper48

31.7

43.6

Rosewill

RCX-Z1

high

31.9

54.1

Scythe

Kama SCKK1000

31.9

47.5

Scythe

Shuriken

high

32.0

38.2

Scythe

Samurai SCSM1000

high

32.1

51.6

Zalman

CNPS7000B-CU

high

32.3

44.9

Thermaltake

Silentboost K8

32.3

49.7

Arctic Cooling

Alpine 64 Plus

high

32.8

47.4

3Rsystem

Iceage 80 Prima Mini

33.1

35.4

Jetart

JAX801

33.2

53.5

Dynatron

A22

34.5

44.5

nPowertek

NPH K8-1

34.6

52.2

SilenX

EFZ-100HA1

high

35.0

38.0

Ajigo

MF043-044 (stock 754)

35.0

45.4

Glacialtech

Igloo 7321 Silent E

35.7

41.0

Arctic Cooling

Silencer 64 Ultra TC

37.5

55.5

Thermaltake

ISGC-100

high

37.7

45.5

Gigabyte

NeonCooler 8-BL

37.7

42.0

Spire

Fourier IV SP607B3-C

38.4

60.2

Asus

Triton 75

38.6

49.6

Glacialtech

Igloo 7312 Silent E

38.7

41.1

Titan

TTC-K8ATB/825/SC

38.7

63.1

Glacialtech

Igloo 7311 Silent

39.4

36.5

Akasa

AK-860SF

39.4

45.2

Asus

Triton 85

high

41.5

41.1

Evercool

K802-715

42.1

51.5

AMA

Serac 770

42.3

42.1

Glacialtech

Igloo 5610 Plus Silent

42.6

38.0

Spire

SP741B3

43.2

45.6

Nexus

VCT-9000

high

45.1

42.9

Arctic Cooling

Freezer 64 LP

45.3

42.6

Glacialtech

Igloo 7223 Light E

45.5

42.3

NoFan

CR-95C (horiz.)

46.1

0.0

Glacialtech

Igloo 7222 Light

46.6

37.7

Evercool

Magic Cooler

46.6

55.5

Zalman

CNPS2X

high

47.1

41.2

Silverstone

NT07-AM2

high

51.0

45.6

NoFan

CR-95C (vert.)

57.2

0.0

Glacialtech

Igloo 5761 Silent

59.2

37.7

Glacialtech

Igloo 5710 Plus Silent

62.4

39.3

Silverstone

Heligon HE02 (horiz.)

63.6

0.0

Silverstone

Heligon HE02 (vert.)

75.5

0.0

125W Thermal Test
(°C)

Noise Level (dBA)

*Heatsinks are ranked according
to the 125W Thermal Test results column (rise over ambient temp.). Low
temperatures with low noise levels are considered best. For reference
heatsinks with variable-speed fans, only the high speed (12V) fan test
result is included in the comparison sheet; more detailed results reside
in each specific heatsink review.

With a 125W heat load applied by the AMD version of the
FrostyTech synthetic thermal test platform, the Noctua NH-U12S heatsink yields
an excellent temperature test result of 14.3°C over ambient at stock
fan speed with just 46.2 dBA noise.

As mentioned previously, Frostytech likes our readers so the NH-U12S tower
heatsink was also tested with two NF-F12 PWM fans (mounted push-pull) to see
what kind of impact this configuration has. In the dual fan test scenario,
Noctua's NH-U12S heatsink drops the 125W heat load test result to 13.5°C over
ambient. With dual fans, noise increases slightly to 49.8dBA.